Top Five Reasons why Baby Teeth are Important

A baby's first set of teeth is already fully developed below the gum line at birth; the first teeth typically start to show at six months of age, and by three years old, most children have their full set of baby teeth. People tend to think of these teeth as just a temporary set that aren't too important, but the truth is, baby teeth have a number of essential functions. 

Nutrition and health

Many children can start to eat small amounts of pureed solid food by six months, and are often ready for textured pureed foods that require minimal chewing by eight months. In order for a young child to get the nutrition they need for age-appropriate growth, they need strong, healthy teeth as they learn to chew. Good oral hygiene is important before the appearance of their very first tooth as gum health plays an important role too. 

Speech development

Speech is something that we learn as young children with seemingly little effort, but in fact it's an incredibly complex process that requires the presence of baby teeth. Teeth help the tongue position properly during pronunciation. Without them, children and adults alike find it difficult to make certain sounds—think, for example, of the characteristic lisp that develops when the front baby teeth are lost.

Correct placement of adult teeth 

After birth, as the baby teeth grow into place, a second set—the adult teeth—form underneath them. As each baby tooth is lost, the corresponding adult tooth emerges in its place, and is guided into the correct position by the adjoining baby teeth. If any of the baby teeth are lost early, they're unable to provide the necessary guidance for adjacent adult teeth. This is perhaps the most important function of this first set of teeth, as without them, adult teeth are more likely to develop alignment problems.

Help your child learn about oral hygiene

Even though baby teeth are important on their own merits for all of the above reasons, they're also useful because they help your child understand the importance of good oral hygiene. It's important that we not think of baby teeth as a "throwaway set." The fact that there's another set of up-and-coming teeth is extremely useful—it means your child has the chance to learn how to properly take care of their permanent teeth before they actually arrive.

Build self-esteem

Having strong teeth is important for helping your child develop good self-esteem; with straight, healthy teeth they'll be happy to smile without feeling self-conscious.

Your Colorado Springs family dentist works with parents to instill good oral hygiene habits into their young patients. Please contact our office to schedule your child’s next visit with Dr. Jackson Anderson.

Why a Family Dentist Makes a Difference

According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, around 1 in 5 American children and teenagers have one or more untreated cavity. Sometimes it's due to lack of access to healthcare, and sometimes, it's just because children and teens aren't visiting their family dentist often enough or lack of caring of their teeth at home. Seeing the family dentist at least twice a year can make a big difference in a child's oral health, and lays the foundations for a lifetime of good oral health.

Family dentists typically provide four different kinds of services: education, prevention, monitoring, and treatment.

Education

The purpose of education is two-fold: first, it helps people manage the at-home aspect of oral health. This is especially important for new parents who aren't experienced with home care of an infant's teeth. Oral care starts early, even before the first baby teeth appear, so it's important that new parents know how to take care of their child's gums and teeth. For young children, education helps reinforce the importance of good oral hygiene, as well as the importance of regular dental visits.

The second aspect of education is giving people the information they need to make informed choices about their oral care. This is important for children as well as adults, because it helps children take responsibility for their health, and with this comes the motivation they need to maintain good oral hygiene habits into adulthood.

Prevention

The idea of prevention is simple: it's by far the best way of managing oral health, because it focuses on preventing problems, rather than treating them if they occur. Regular checkups and professional cleanings ensure that teeth remain healthy and strong, reduce the likelihood of problems like cavities and gum disease, and also mean that if problems do develop, they are discovered early on and treated quickly. A family dentist can also provide other preventative services, like fluoride treatment and tooth sealants, to protect vulnerable baby teeth from decay. 

Monitoring

Certain dental concerns don't need immediate treatment, but instead require careful monitoring to determine if treatment might be needed at a later date. For example, if a child's teeth begin to show signs of misalignment their dentist might monitor the situation rather than recommend immediate treatment. 

Treatment

When treatment is required, the family dentist is there to provide it, including fillings, extractions, and other services that repair tooth decay and damage, as well as long-term treatments such as spacers and mouth guards for athletes. 

Oral Care for Life and Health

Good general health starts with good oral health, because you need a good set of strong, healthy teeth for eating a varied diet necessary for proper energy and nutrition. But that's not all; healthy teeth are important for speech, for a beautiful smile, and for the enhanced self-confidence that comes along with it. Regular visits to your family dentist—for you and your family—are the best way to make sure you can all enjoy these benefits for years to come.

Jackson L Anderson, DDS is a family dentist in Colorado Springs. Contact the office to schedule an appointment or to find out more about oral health care for your loved ones.

Preventive Dental Care Makes a Big Difference

Oral hygiene is one of those things where you don't fully understand its importance until you see the consequences of ignoring it. It's much better to maintain a regular oral hygiene routine, and see your dentist regularly for checkups and professional cleaning -- it makes a huge difference to the long-term health and appearance of your teeth.

What is Preventive Dental Care?

Regular brushing and flossing, along with routine professional cleanings are the base to preventive dental care. Simply put, it's all the things you—and your dentist—do to keep your teeth healthy and free from decay and other problems.

Note that your dentist is an important part of the equation. Even if you brush and floss on a daily basis, professional cleaning is still extremely important. Professional cleaning is needed to remove any tartar that has built up on your teeth, especially along the gum line.

As well as the cleaning, your dentist can provide several other important preventive services:

• Dental x-rays are valuable diagnostic tools that detect tooth decay, loss of jaw bone mass in older people, jaw development problems in children poor tooth alignment.. They can also detect the early signs of cancerous growth, as well as non-cancerous tumors.
• Fluoride treatment and dental sealants strengthen teeth and guard against decay. These are especially useful for small children who are still learning how to take care of their oral health.
• Mouth guards prevent tooth damage caused by grinding and jaw-clenching. Oral appliances can also be used to treat temporomandibular joint pain and sleep apnea.

Why is it Important?

The preventive services your dentist provides are extremely important to your oral health, and in fact to your overall health—when your teeth and gums are unhealthy your general health is often affected too. Regular professional cleaning and maintenance from your dentist helps to:

• Keep teeth and gums free from plaque and tartar
• Reduce the risk of infection and gum disease
• Catch potential problems early and treat them before they become serious

Are You Due for a Checkup?

Your needs will vary depending on your overall oral health, but in general, it's best to visit your dentist for preventive services at least twice a year. If it's been six months or more since your last visit, don't hesitate to make an appointment—your teeth are worth the effort!

Contact Jackson L Anderson, DDS to schedule an appointment or visit his website, www.jacksonandersondds.com for more information.

Dentures versus Implant-Supported Dentures

Dentures and dental implants are important buzz words in the dental industry. Combining the two creates treatment for people who want more out of their traditional dentures. Securing dentures atop dental implants, called implant-supported dentures, offers patients the benefits of both dental treatments.

A difference in fit

Conventional dentures are made to rest on top of the gums. The denture plates are removable and patients are able to clean their prosthetic teeth and gums daily.

Implant-supported dentures are created to look like traditional dentures, but are equipped with the ability to attach to dental implants -- here is no reason to use adhesive. Though implant supported dentures are affixed to the implants, they are removable by your dentist for routine biyearly cleanings.  Implant retained dentures are slightly different in that they snap on to the implants and patients will remove them each night for cleaning. Implant-supported dentures provide a secure and comfortable fit so wearers can eat, talk, and go about their day uninterrupted.

Getting Your Dentures

Apart from securing dentures, there is major difference between the procedures. Conventional dentures typically involve two or more sessions: an initial session in which impressions are taken, and an additional session or more in which the finished dentures are placed and adjusted to make sure they fit well and are comfortable. The whole process takes several weeks, but there's no surgery involved.

Implant-supported or retained dentures will require surgery to place the dental implants. After the implants have had time to fuse to the bone and gums to heal, the dentures are created to fit atop the titanium posts. Depending on the individual, the entire process may take only a couple of months.

Which denture is best for you?

It is important to discuss all of your options with your dentist before choosing the best solution to replace missing teeth. Once an oral exam is complete, Dr. Jackson Anderson will discuss your health, the benefits and drawbacks as your denture options relate to your personal situation, affordability and financing, as well as time frame for the treatment plan. In order to make the best decision for overall health and function, you will want to ask questions and address concerns prior to selecting the procedure that will best fit your long-term needs.

Contact your Colorado Springs dentist for more information or to schedule an appointment.

The Value of Dental Implants

The technological advancements with dental implants have put these high-tech restoration into a class of their own. While there are several missing teeth options to choose from, dental implants have proven their worth.  If you are looking for value, you must consider the price over the long –term of your oral health. Dental implants are an investment in more than just a tooth.

While dental implants may cost more than other options, there is a significant difference in how implants function and improve aesthetic. Dentures are a good general solution to missing teeth problems, but without the support of dental implants, these restorations will not give patients the most oral health support. Of course, every personal situation is different, so your dentist will examine your oral health and help patients make the best informed decision for long-term improvements.

Dental Implants vs. Dentures

Dental implants and dentures do share some things in common: both types of restoration can be used to replace several teeth or a full arch of teeth. Both can help improve the facial structure changes that come with tooth loss, improve speech problems that might have developed due to tooth loss, and improve your ability to chew difficult foods. However, the fact that dental implants are permanently fixed, whereas dentures are removable, means that dental implants are much better at these functions than dentures are. For example:

- Even the best-fitted dentures can sometimes slip in the mouth, particularly when coughing or laughing, and slippage may also result in speech impairment. This doesn't happen with dental implants, because they're fixed in place and are incapable of slipping.

- The lack of slippage also means that dental implants are better for chewing; in fact, in this regard they function exactly like natural teeth do. Denture-wearers typically have to avoid certain types of foods, such as nuts, corn on the cob, and steak, but there are no off-limits foods with dental implants.

In addition, there are some things that dental implants do that dentures cannot:

- Implants function like natural teeth in the way they transmit chewing pressure to underlying bone, but dentures actually transmit pressure sideways to adjacent teeth—this means those adjacent teeth are more vulnerable to wear and tear.

- The way implants transmit chewing pressure also means they help prevent oral bone density loss; in the long term, loss of bone density in the mouth region can lead to alterations in facial shape, and this is something dentures are unable to prevent.

The Right Dental Procedure for You

Dental implants are in many ways superior to dentures. Dentists understand their long-term value and will educate patients on the pros and cons for each potential procedure. There is always the need for a complete examination before treatment plans are created. Gum tissue and jaw bone health are leading factors in whether or not a patient is qualified for dental implants.

If you are convinced of the value behind dental implants, but cannot afford all that you need, talk to Dr. Anderson about dental implant supported dentures or bridges. This process minimizes the amount of implants, but will bring value and longevity to the alternate solutions.

Contact Dr. Anderson to schedule an appointment or consultation. Jackson L. Anderson, DDS welcomes patients in and around Colorado Springs.

4 Ways to Feel Comfortable about Root Canal Treatment

Choose the Right Dentist

Your dentist should be someone who's experienced and trustworthy, and someone you feel

comfortable with. If your dental office doesn't prioritize your needs and concerns, or isn't

sensitive to dental phobia, it may be time to find a new dentist.

Ideally you'll already have a great dentist by the time you need to schedule a root canal, so if you're currently dissatisfied with your dentist, it's better to start looking for a new one sooner rather than later.

Understand What's Involved

Ask your dentist about the procedure, and talk to people who have had the procedure done. A good dentist will explain the procedure needed to maintain the tooth  in good dental health. You will find that once you know exactly what is going to happen, you will feel more comfortable with this procedure.

Stay Cool in the Dentist's Chair

Learning some simple relaxation techniques can be extremely useful.

One of the easiest to learn is controlled breathing, in which you inhale and exhale slowly,

in a controlled fashion. This helps slow your heart rate and relax your muscles to ease the

tension you're feeling. Another easy technique is called progressive muscle relaxation. In

this one, you simply tense and relax muscle groups in succession; for example, your calf

muscles, then thighs, then core. Tense and relax each group several times before moving

to the next, and do it slowly and consciously.

Distract Yourself

Bringing along an iPod loaded with your favorite music is always a good idea.

If you live in or around the Colorado Springs area, Jackson L. Anderson, DDS welcomes new patients and families. Our team is dedicated to early detection, prevention and ensuring every patient fully understands the process before root canal treatment begins. Please contact our office to find out more about root canal therapy or to schedule an appointment.

Welcome to our Jackson L Anderson DDS blog!

We're excited to announce the official launch of our Jackson L Anderson DDS blog.

We'll be posting helpful dental tips, news from the dental industry, news from our practice, and more about the latest in dentistry.

We built our practice on the notion that we're there for our patients when they need us and we want our online presence to be a reflection of that principle. We hope this blog provides an extra level of service to our current and future patients.

If you would like to stay up to date on the latest from Jackson L Anderson DDS, simply click the RSS “Subscribe to feed” link located on our website and subscribe. Our subscribers will be updated when we make a new blog

Here's to your best oral health ever!